Chapter 6
A marriage without children-wasn’t becoming strangers the best ending?
I couldn’t be bothered to waste words with him, so I moved to leave.
But Daniel Hughes blocked my path, his jawline tense, as if barely holding back his fury.
“One angry remark, and you really went through with the divorce! The day we signed the papers, you vanished without a trace!”
“I searched for you all night, drained my phone battery calling, didn’t close my eyes once!”
“These past three years, I’ve lived every day wondering if you’d had an accident, if you were suffering somewhere! I haven’t had a single night of peace!”
His hysteria stirred nothing in me.
He was the one who demanded the divorce.
He was the one who told me to disappear forever.
And now he wanted to act deep and devoted? How ridiculous.
Expressionless, I stared at him.
Are you done?”
He slammed his fist into the car window, eyes bloodshot as he glared at me.
Sophia! Is this cold, indifferent face meant to mock me?”
Why would you rather marry a broke doctor who risks his life in war zones for money, thar come back to me?”
My heart jolted.
So he knew I was married.
Someone at the reunion must have told him, or else he wouldn’t have known exactly where tc
vait.
He could perform his fake affection all he wanted.
But I would never allow him to slander Michael Bennett.
That man was so good that even the thought of him suffering in dangerous places for the sake of others made my chest ache.
And Daniel had no right-no right at all—to judge him.
glared coldly at him.
‘Daniel Hughes, shut your mouth.”
“My husband volunteers as a doctor with Doctors Without Borders. Not only does he work for free, he even donated millions in medical supplies from his own pocket.”
“He risks his life to save innocent women and children. He is nothing like you-don’t project your filthy thoughts onto him.”
He froze for a few seconds, then let out a bitter laugh.
“So quick to fall in love with another man. Your feelings really are cheap, Sophia.”
Cheap?
He had thrown away ten years of love for Emily Brooks in just a single month-risking everything
for her.
Even when I humbled myself, trying to salvage our marriage, in his eyes I was nothing but
vicious.
I laughed coldly.
“At least when I’m in love, I’m faithful to the end.”
The words hit him like a blade, and his eyes flashed with wounded pain.
“Are you… implying something?”
I shoved at him, but he clamped down on my wrist.
His emotions spiraled out of control.
‘Sophia! Say something! You’re still mad at me, aren’t you?”
‘Let’s stop this cold war, please?”
struggled to break free.
‘Let go!”
Just then, a warm, steady voice reached us.
‘Baby.”
spun around.
Michael stood beneath the soft glow of a streetlamp, our daughter cradled in one arm, his free hand reaching out toward me.
‘I’m here to take you home.”
Our daughter clutched her toy phone in her little hand, pressing it to her ear as if she were making a call. In her baby voice, she said:
‘Phone… Mommy… no.”
Her adorable mimicry made me laugh, and in an instant, I understood.
Michael had called earlier, but I hadn’t heard-because Daniel was spewing his endless
nonsense.
I yanked free of Daniel’s grip and hurried forward, taking my daughter into my arms. I kissed her plump little cheek.
“Sweetheart, I’m sorry. Mommy didn’t hear the phone.”
Michael wrapped his arms around the two of us with gentle ease, pressing a natural kiss to my
cheek.
And Daniel, watching us-watching father and daughter together-stood frozen, stunned into
silence.
